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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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SAVING “HERITAGE CLOCKS” IN JAMAICA—11/26/11
Phillip Martin, American engineer, historian, and horologist, has focused on the need for Jamaica to preserve its “heritage clocks,” many of which have been neglected for some time. Martin has identified some 30 clocks that are between 50 and 60 years old and some date back 150 years. He believes the clocks should be restored because they represent important elements in the history of the island. Martin particularly noted the poor condition of the clocks at St. Andrew Parish Church and Falmouth Parish Church as examples.
ROBOTHAM SAYS CURRENT POLITICAL PROCESS UNABLE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS—11/27/11
Don Robotham, professor of anthropology and former dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of the West Indies, believes that the current political process in Jamaica cannot resolve the nation’s problems. It is unable to put in place the types of policies and programs required unless there a broad range of Jamaicans are represented and participate in finding solutions. Robotham also said the coming election is too important to be left to politicians, and he called for more active participation from citizens.
COURT DECIDES NEPA IN BREACH OF RULES—11/28/11
Jamaica’s National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has been found in breach of local environmental laws when it approved the expansion of roads and other coastal improvement works in the Palisadoes Port Royal Protected Area without obtaining input from the public. Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) took NEPA to court over the issue and won its case against the agency. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) Act, the public must be consulted about all developments that require environmental licensing and permits.
PARTY TALKS IN LIMBO, SIMPSON MILLER ISSUES ULTIMATUM—11/29/11
The official discussions occurring between the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) and the opposition People’s National Party (PNP) have been threatened by Portia Simpson Miller, president of the PNP. Simpson Miller stated she will not conduct business with the government until it removes itself from issues relating to the National Youth Council of Jamaica (NYCJ). She described the cancellation of a forum at NYCJ by the government as representative of its dictatorial and censoring activities and say these must be stopped. Simpson Miller was scheduled to speak at the forum.
TRANSPORT AND WORKS MINISTER RESIGNS—11/30/11
Mike Henry, Jamaica’s Minister of Transport and Works and chairman of the ruling party, has resigned following allegations that the Ministry mismanaged a road program funded by China. Henry cited “ongoing attacks” on the management of the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Program in his resignation. The program involved $400 million in loans from China to be paid over a five-year period for upgrading Jamaican roads.
ENGINEERING PROJECT AWARD RECEIVED BY WIGTON WINDFARM—12/01/11
The Engineering Project of the Year Award sponsored by the Jamaica Institution of Engineers (JIE) has been given to Wigton Windfarm Ltd. The company won the award for its 18-megawatt windfarm expansion project, which represents US$47.5 million in investments. The project involved installing nine 2-megawatt wind turbines, upgrading an existing 69-kilovolt transmission line, constructing a new substation, building two kilometers of a new access road, and creating a resource center focused on renewable energy training and technology transfer.
COUNSILLOR OF JAMAICA LABOR PARTY STABBED TO DEATH—12/02/11
Ryan Beadle, a councilor/caretaker of the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) for St. Ann’s Claremont Division, has been stabbed to death. His body was found next to his car in the Golden Grove community in St. Ann. There were a number of stab wounds, and his throat was cut. Police are investigating the death.
APPOINTMENT TO MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND WORKS SURPRISES SHAHINE—12/02/11
Shahine Robinson, Member of Parliament for northeast St. Ann, stated that she was surprised when Prime Minister Andrew Holness recommended her for the position of Jamaica’s Minister of Transport and Works. Holness made his recommendation to Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, and Robinson’s appointment was to go into effect immediately. The appointment of Robinson to the post follows the resignation of the previous ministry head, Mike Henry.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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DELEGATION FROM JAMAICA TRAVELS TO SINGAPORE—11/26/11
Arthur Williams, Jamaica’s Minister responsible for Public Service and Information, is leading a delegation on a study tour of Singapore’s public sector. The tour was recommended by Minh Pham, the resident representative to Jamaica of the United Nations Development Program. Pham believed that the public sector in Jamaica would benefit from contact with authorities in Singapore, since that nation is known around the world for best practices within that sector. The Jamaican delegation will visit government entities similar to those in the home country.
HUMAN RIGHTS CASE WOND BY DRUG DEALER IN THE UK—11/27/11
Andre James, a drug dealer and gun criminal, has convinced judges in the United Kingdom that if he was deported to his home in Jamaica, he would be more likely to reoffend. The Home Secretary wanted James removed from the UK after he was put in jail in 2007 for the possession of a gun and ammunition, supplying Class A drugs, carrying a knife in pubic, and possessing criminal property. However, the court also allowed James to stay in the UK on “human rights” grounds, since he has two children in Britain and his family life would be damaged if were forced to return to Jamaica.
JAMAICAN FARM WORKERS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WORRY ABOUT VISAS, TAXES—11/28/11
Among the thousands of farm laborers who come to the United States in the federal government’s H-2A visa program for agricultural workers, are many Jamaicans who work in the U.S. legally for eight months of the year and return home for the remaining four months. Because they earn a prevailing wage of $10.25 per hour in the U.S., they can live well with their families when they return to the island. However, the Internal Revenue Service in the U.S. is now demanding they pay taxes on U.S.-earned income, and immigration laws require American employers to advertise these jobs in the U.S. and hire Americans before turning to H-2A workers. These developments have become major worries for Jamaican farm laborers who depend on the yearly American income.
NEW LEADERS ELECTED IN JAMAICAN DIASPORA’S SOUTHERN REGION—12/01/11
New leaders have been elected to the Advisory Board of the Jamaican Diaspora Southern United States. Jamaican nationals from all over South Florida elected the new leadership and discussed plans for moving ahead under the new team. Dr. Susan Lycett Davis was selected as the Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board member for the Southern United States.
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CARIBBEAN NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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U.S. OFFICIALS FEAR CARIBBEAN COULD BECOME NEW ROUTE FOR DRUGS—11/26/11
AUTHORITIES FOIL PLOT TO KILL PRIME MINISTER OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO—11/27/11
SYMPOSIUM ON FRANZ FANON TO BE INTERNATIONALLY ATTENDED—11/28/11
TWO ISRAELIS LINKED TO PLOT TO KILL TRINIDAD PRIME MINISTER—11/29/11
CHAVEZ TO HOST REGIONAL SUMMIT—11/30/11
BAHAMAS RECEIVE JAMAICAN REMITTANCE LINK—12/01/11
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BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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JAMPRO, DEVELOPMENT BANK SIGN AGREEMENT FOR LOAN FACILITY—11/26/11
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) and the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) for a US$20 million loan facility designed to make it easier to invest in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. The MoU will support the expansion of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and is expected to result in more jobs by developing more space for existing BPO businesses to expand. There are more than 26 BPO operators on the island.
SUGAR COMPANY PLANS TO BE TOP PRODUCER BY 2015—11/27/11
The Pan Caribbean Sugar Company (PCSC), which is the new owner of the Monymusk, Bernard Lodge, and Frome estates, believes it can become the top producing sugar company in the area by 2015. The firm does worry about the high costs of labor and electricity in Jamaica, however. According to the chief executive officer of the Chinese-owned organization, the firm is ready for the start of the growing season, having acquired all necessary equipment from the estates. Thus far, the entity has spent more than US$20 million on the enterprise.
AS CENTER OF MARITIME INDUSTRY< JAMAICA MAKES DEVELOPMENT PLANS—11/30/11
Jamaica is maintaining its place at the center of international maritime governance after being re-elected to the International Maritime Organization’s Council. Jamaica is a Category C Council member, serving until 2013. Anthony Johnson, Jamaica’s High Commissioner, stated that the country’s support for the organization issues from the seat of its government, its institutions, and its agencies, all of which implement the policies adopted by the IMO.
GENEVA RECEIVES MORE JAMAICAN PRODUCTS—12/01/11
After a showcase by the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) called “Taste Jamaica,” which was held at the Jamaican embassy in Geneva, Switzerland, more island products will be available in the supermarkets in the European country. According to Laurence Jones, the European general manager of JAMPRO, the Swiss are very interested in Jamaica’s products like rum, coffee, and cocoa. The Swiss buyers also expressed interest in coconut milk and fresh produce.
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CARIBBEAN TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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NICHOLSON WANTS TO BAN ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN POLLING PLACES—11/27/11
LIME, CARICOM MAKE AGREEMENT ON VIDEOCONFERENCING EQUIPMENT—11/30/11
CARIBBEAN NEEDS INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS TO DEVELOP MEDICINES—12/1/2011
CARICOM FINE-TUNES PLAN FOR ICT STRATEGY—12/02/11
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TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY
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COMPANY MAKES CUSTOM ROBOTS—11/30/11
My Robot Nation offers consumers worldwide the ability to design a robot of their own and have it printed in three dimensions and shipped to them. The service launched a beta version last month, which allows customers in the United States, Canada, and Europe to use web-based design tools to create customized miniature robots. Hundreds of people have taken advantage of the service to date. The tools allow for a nearly limitless number of choices for a robot’s design. The ceramic-like robots range in price from $18 for small figurines to $170 for larger ones.
CARRIER IQ TRACKS USERS’ SMARTPHONE ACTIVITIES—12/01/11
Technology bloggers and security experts have concluded that nearly all smartphones include a piece of remote, real-time tracking software called Carrier IQ. Researchers found the software on some 140 million handsets worldwide, including Android, iOS, Nokia, and BlackBerry devices in the United States. Carrier IQ records keystrokes, SMS messages, web searches, and location without users’ knowledge or any expressed consent and no way to disable it. It is unknown at this time who installed the software and who is receiving all the data recorded. Handset manufacturers blame wireless providers, while providers, such as Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint, are denying they have anything to do with it.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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FOUNDER OF REGGAE, ROCKSTEADY TRIO HAS DIED—11/26/11
Barry Llewellyn of the Heptones, a founder of Jamaican reggae and a rocksteady trio, has died at the age of 64. He died of unknown causes at the Kingston Public Hospital. Llewellyn started the Heptones in the late 1950s with Earl Morgan, and the group became influential during Jamaica’s rocksteady era in the 1960s. The band reunited in the 1990s during the ska and rocksteady revival. Llewellyn leaves a wife and several children.
EPIC PLAY TO RETURN TO JAMAICA IN 2012 WITH MAJOR CHANGES—11/28/11
“Bedward,” the play by Louis Marriott, will make a return to theater in Jamaica in early 2012, but it will have significant changes in personnel and key technical elements. Some members of the previous cast are slate to return, however. Marriott, who also produces the play, noted that it had made a major impact in radio in 1960 when it was first performed as “The Shepherd,” and people wanted to see a stage version.
VOGELESANG RECEIVES TWO AWARDS AT ANIMATION FESTIVAL—11/29/11
Joan Vogelesang was honored with two awards at Animae Caribe 2011, the main animation festival in the Caribbean. She received an award for her support of the festival over the years from its director Camille Selcon-Abrahams. She also received an award recognizing her contribution to the animation industry in Trinidad during the past decade by Stephen Cadiz, Trinidad’s Minister of Trade and Industry. Vogelesang is president and chief executive officer of Toon Boom, which has been working in the Caribbean animation industry since 2001.
CONFLICTING REPORTS ISSUED ON KARTEL’S “ESCAPE” FROM PRISON—12/01/11
It was reported that Vybz Kartel, Jamaican Dancehall star, had broken out of prison after pulling a gun on a law enforcement officer. Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, had allegedly started a riot at the prison when he and several other prisoners took control of the facility on November 11, 2011. It was reported that one guard died of a heart attack, while 12 others were injured. According to a Jamaican news organization, however, the reports of Kartel’s prison break began as a joke on a blog, and law enforcement had no knowledge of any such event taking place.
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SPORTS
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JAMAICAN SWIM CLUB IMPRESSES CAYMANS—11/26/11
The ten members of the “Y” Speedos Swim Club in Jamaica came in third at the Mike Lockwood Memorial Invitational Swim Meet in Grand Cayman. The club received three individual age-group championship trophies as well. Angara Sinclair won in the girls’ 11-12 age group, Michae Bradshaw won the girls’ 9-10 age group, and Cameron Brown won the boys’ 9-10 group trophy. The team as a whole received over 35 medals.
FOURTH PLACE FINISH FOR SUNSHINE GIRLS AS FASTNET—11/28/11
The Sunshine Girls from Jamaica experienced several defeats in New Zealand and Australia to end what had been an encouraging performance at the FastNet competition, World Netball Series 2011. Jamaica finished in fourth place in the competition, which ended in Liverpool, England. Marva Bernard, president of the Jamaica Netball Association, was encouraged by the team’s performance in spite of the disappointing finish. She noted that the team is young and is being “rebuilt,” so they know what they need to do. She called the team’s performance “brilliant.”
COACH CONFIDENT TEAM WILL WIN AGAINST THE BAHAMAS—11/29/11
The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) World Cup final round qualifiers will begin for Jamaica’s Under-17 women’s footballers with a match against The Bahamas. Vin Blaine, who coaches the junior Reggae Girlz, one of the favorites at the competition, says the team is very confident of its ability to win. “They can’t beat us,” Blaine said of opposing The Bahamas, and noted that he was sure the team will qualify for the CONCACAF.
CAMPBELL-BROWN, POWELL TO MAKE INDOOR TRACK DEBUT IN NEW YORK—12/01/11
Asafa Powell, Jamaica’s former world record holder and sprint star, will make his debut at a New York indoor track at the 2012 U.S. Open Track and Field meet, which is scheduled for January 28 at Madison Square Garden. Veronica Campbell-Brown, Jamaica’s Olympic and World champion, will be returning to the site of her NYC indoor victory of 2011 with her participation in the 2012 meet. Both she and Powell will run short sprints.
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JAMAICAN JOBS
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SALES REPRESENTATIVE
COMPUTER LAB TECHNICIAN
MULTIPLE HIGH SCHOOL POSITIONS
PHLEBOTOMIST WITH NURSING EXPERIENCE
NATURAL RESOURCE VALUATION EXPERT
Visit JAMAICAN JOBS.
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DEVOTIONAL
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Believing God, No Matter What
Mention the name “Abraham” and some of us immediately recall the story of his childlessness and the miracle of the birth of Isacc when Abraham was 100 years old, and his wife, Sarah, ten years younger. We can recall the times God visited with him and the promises He made and reminded Abraham of at different times over a 25-year period. Despite faltering with the humanly-contrived plan that resulted in the birth of Ishmael through Hagar, Sarah’s then servant, the Genesis writer affirmed that when God told Abraham that his seed would be like the stars in the sky, Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6). It is a wonderful story of trusting God in the face of impossible odds.
While it is evident that God fulfilled His promise to Abraham, it is easy to forget Sarah. About thirteen years before the birth of Issac, Sarai, as she was known then, being incapable of conceiving a child, had agreed to allow a marriage of convenience between Abram, as he was known then, and Hagar. When Hagar “saw that she had conceived, her mistress [Sarai] was despised in her eyes” (Genesis 16:4. KJV). As if the stigma of being barren wasn’t shameful enough, bible scholar Matthew Henry notes, “[Hagar] looked scornfully upon her mistress, upbraids her perhaps with her barrenness, insults over her, to make her to fret (as 1 Sam. 1:6), and boasts of the prospect she had of bringing an heir to Abram, to that good land, and to the promise. Now she thinks herself a better woman than Sarai, more favoured by Heaven, and likely to be better beloved by Abram; and therefore she will not submit as she has done.” It is no wonder that after Sarai complained to Abram, and his indifference to what she would do with Hagar, Sarai dealt harshly with her and she fled from her face (Genesis 16:6).
However, God’s plan for Abram included Sarai, even though she did not know how. Her feelings were hurt and she needed her own comfort from God. After all, she was well past childbearing age, so much so that when the LORD repeated the promise of a son, she laughed and pondered at the impossibility (Genesis 18:12). The LORD told Abram of her reaction and said, “Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son” (vv. 13, 14). In the fullness of time, the narrative continues, “the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him” (21:1-2).
What is the application for us? Go ahead and read the verse as follows: “And the LORD visited [me] as He had said, and the LORD did unto [me] as He had spoken.” That could be your testimony. He is the same today as He was back then. Whatever the situation, believe God. His promises can often time look impossible in the face of our realities, but our realities are no match for His awesomeness. He will visit you as He has said; He will do unto you as He has spoken. Just ask Sarah.
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CREDITS/SOURCES
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The weekly news is compilation of new articles from top Caribbean and Jamaican news sources.
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